In a move that has sent shockwaves through both economic and political circles, President Trump has nominated E.J. Antoni, a Montgomery County native and economist at the Heritage Foundation, to serve as the new head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The announcement, made on August 15, 2025, comes just two weeks after Trump abruptly fired Erika McEntarfer, the previous BLS director, following the release of a jobs report that the president claimed—without evidence—was intentionally skewed to make his administration look bad.
E.J. Antoni’s local roots run deep. He attended Lansdale Catholic High School and later earned his undergraduate degree from St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, which was formerly in Wynnewood and now resides in Ambler. Antoni continued his academic journey, obtaining a Ph.D. in economics from Northern Illinois University. Despite his impressive academic credentials, his professional experience has largely been outside of government, most recently serving as chief economist at the Heritage Foundation’s Hermann Center for the Federal Budget. He also holds a senior fellowship at the Committee to Unleash Prosperity, according to Patch.
Antoni’s nomination is anything but routine. Traditionally, the BLS is seen as a bastion of nonpartisan integrity, responsible for compiling and releasing data on employment, inflation, and other key economic indicators that inform everything from Federal Reserve policy to Social Security adjustments and tax brackets. The agency’s data is relied upon by policymakers, investors, and ordinary citizens alike. As The News-Herald points out, “It has long been an independent and nonpolitical post because, well, numbers are numbers and it’s important that they are accurate and unbiased.”
Yet, controversy has dogged Antoni’s path to the nomination. For one, his relative inexperience compared to his predecessor has raised eyebrows. Erika McEntarfer, who was appointed by former President Joe Biden, brought years of experience from the Census Bureau and the White House. Antoni, only 37, has spent the bulk of his career in think tanks rather than public service. According to Patch, this difference has fueled criticism that he is unqualified for the role.
Adding fuel to the fire, Antoni has been an outspoken critic of the BLS and its methods, particularly in recent months. He has appeared frequently on Steve Bannon’s “War Room” podcast, where he and Bannon have lambasted the agency’s approach to economic data. As cited by The News-Herald, Bannon once asked Antoni, “Is a MAGA Republican, that President Trump knows and trusts, are they running the Bureau of Labor Statistics yet?” Antoni replied, “No, unfortunately, Steve, we still haven’t gotten there.” He went on to call McEntarfer “incompetent”—a charge that was followed by her firing later that same day.
President Trump, for his part, has made no secret of his approval for Antoni. In a post on his TruthSocial platform, Trump declared, “Our Economy is booming, and E.J. will ensure that the Numbers released are HONEST and ACCURATE. I know E.J. Antoni will do an incredible job in this new role. Congratulations E.J.!”
But not everyone is convinced. Several conservative economists have publicly questioned Antoni’s qualifications and objectivity. Stan Veuger, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, told Axios that Antoni’s “work at Heritage has frequently included elementary errors or nonsensical choices that all bias his findings in the same partisan direction.” Kyle Pomerleau, another AEI economist, told The New York Times, “He has either shown a complete misunderstanding of economic data and principles, or he’s showing a willingness to treat his audience with contempt and mislead them.” Jessica Riedl of the Manhattan Institute added, “The articles and tweets I’ve seen him publish are probably the most error-filled of any think tank economist right now. I hope we see better at BLS.”
Antoni’s critics also point to his willingness to consider suspending the monthly jobs report until, in his words, he can ensure the numbers are “accurate”—a standard that some fear could mean “Trump-approved.” According to The News-Herald, this suggestion has heightened concerns that the BLS could be politicized under his leadership, undermining trust in the nation’s economic data at a time when accuracy is more important than ever.
Beyond his professional background, Antoni’s personal history has also come under scrutiny. He has often appeared on television and podcasts seated in front of a large photograph of the World War II battleship Bismarck—described by The News-Herald as “Hitler’s favorite.” While Antoni claims to be a history buff, some have questioned the appropriateness of this backdrop, given the ship’s infamy.
Perhaps most controversially, Antoni was present outside the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, during the protests that culminated in the storming of the building. NBC News and Patch both report that Antoni appears in videos among the crowd about an hour after police barricades were removed, though there is no evidence he entered the Capitol. The White House has insisted that Antoni was merely a “bystander” attending meetings nearby and did nothing illegal. Still, his presence at such a fraught moment in American history has added another layer of controversy to his nomination.
Trump’s decision to fire McEntarfer and install a loyalist has sparked alarm among economists and policymakers from across the political spectrum. Critics warn that politicizing the BLS could have far-reaching consequences. “Accurate data was crucial because federal officials rely on it to set interest rates, determine annual cost-of-living adjustments for retirees on Social Security, and to adjust tax brackets, and investors used it to weight portfolios,” The News-Herald explains. Even students and workers depend on BLS reports to make decisions about their futures. If the agency’s credibility is compromised, the ripple effects could be enormous.
For now, the U.S. Senate—which must confirm Antoni’s appointment—is in recess as of August 16, 2025, and no date has been set for a confirmation hearing. The delay has only intensified speculation about the future of the BLS and the integrity of the nation’s economic data. Supporters argue that Antoni’s commitment to “honest and accurate” numbers could restore trust, while detractors fear a new era of partisan manipulation.
As the debate rages on, one thing is clear: the fate of the Bureau of Labor Statistics—and the reliability of the data it produces—hangs in the balance. The coming months will reveal whether E.J. Antoni can rise above the controversy and prove himself a worthy steward of one of the government’s most vital agencies.
